Mail-box.



No. 727,445. PATENTED MAY 5, 1903.

J. B. REINTGBS'.

MAIL BOX.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. 3, 1902.

N0 MODEL.

IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII "m: mums PETERS co rumauma. WASHINGTON, n. c.

wrrnn STATES Patented May 5, 1903.

JOHN B. REINTGES, OF ELSAH, ILLINOIS.

MAIL-BOX.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 727,445, dated May 5, 1903.

Application filed December 3, 1902. Serial No. 133,783. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN B. REINTGES, of the city of Elsah, Jersey county, State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Mail-Boxes, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part hereof.

My invention relates to improvements in mail-boxes, and particularly relates to that class of mail-boxes which are provided with signals to indicate when mail-matter has been deposited in the box.

My invention consists in the peculiar arrangement and construction of parts, which is hereinafter described and claimed, and will be more readily understood by reference to the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification, and in which- Figure 1 is a representation of a box embodying my invention in place upon a support. Fig. 2 is a transverse mid-section, and Fig. 3 is a vertical longitudinal section along the line m w of Fig. 2.

In my device I provide the casing 1, in which the box 2 is pivoted by the pins 3. At'the front of the upper side of the casing 1 the flap 4 is pivoted by means of pins 5 in such manner as to prevent the entrance of rain to the interior of the box 2 through its mouth 6. The box2 is normally in the position indicated in Figs. 1 and 2, and is held in such position by means of the counterbalance 7, which is attached to the rear of the box 2. WVhen it is desired to place mailin the box, the flap 4 is pushed backwardly, as indicated by the dotted lines in Fig. 2, and the mail-deposited in the box through the mouth 6. The casing 1 is provided with the hasp 8, and the box 2 is provided with the staple 9,-which is adapted to fit through a slot in the end of the hasp 8 in order that the box may be located in position by the lock 10. When it is desired to remove the contents of the box 2, the lock 10 is removed, the hasp 8 is depressed clear of the staple 9, and the box 2 is pulled forward and downward by means of the button 11, so that the contents may be readily removed through the mouth 6.

In this class of mail-boxes, which is particularly adapted for use in rural districts,

it is desirable to provide a readily-adjustablesignal which may be seen from the adjacent buildings and indicate to the owner of the box whether mail has been deposited therein. WVith this end in view I have equipped the mail-box with the signal shown in the drawings. This signal consists of two standards 12, mounted upon a base-plate 13, which is adjustably secured to the top of the box or casing 1 by means of the screw 14. The tops of the standards 12 are provided with the fiat lugs 15, which are connected by the transverse bar 16. Upon the bar 16 the signal 17 is mounted, which is provided at each end with the transverse slots 18.

The mail-box of my invention is adapted to be secured to any available post or to the side of a fence, and this adjustment may be effected so as to place the box at any angle with reference to the position of the windows in the building occupied by the user of the box. It is accordingly necessary to provide the box with a signal which can be adjusted so as always to present the largest surface of the signal at right angles to the point from which the user is accustomed to observe it. For this reason I have made my base-plate 13 adjustable, so that by loosening the screw 14 the plate may be revolved in order to present the fiat side of the signal 17 to the eye of the user, when the screw 14 is tightened to fasten the signal in place. It is then desirable that the signal 17 should be painted with a different color upon each of its sides, so that when the mail is placed in the box 2 the person delivering the mail will reverse the signal 17, and the change of color will indicate to the user that mail has been deposited in the box.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to have secured to me by the grant of Letters Patent, is-

1. A mail-box consisting of the combination of an outer casing, a cylindrical box pivotally mounted in the casing, andprovided with a longitudinal opening, a depending flap pivotally mounted in the casing and adapted to fit over the longitudinal opening, a counterbalancing-Weight mounted upon the box and adapted to keep the longitudinal opening normally within the outer casing, means whereby the box may be locked, the flap be ing adapted to permit the insertion of mail mounted upon the transverse bar, substan- 1o tially as and for the purposes specified.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JOHN B. REINTGES.

Witnesses:

B. F. FARLEY, A. H. STEPHANY. 

